Category Archives: Natural Gut String
String Pairings?
Racquets & Wine!
Every once in a while I enjoy a sip, or two, of wine with the food I am eating. I must admit, however, that I don’t adhere to “pairings” so much!
I have eaten shrimp with a Cabernet! And I have had a good Pinot Noir with hearty pasta! Good grief! In some circles this would be unheard of! Do you let the suggested “Pairings” influence you or do you go with your taste instead?
But what does this have to do with tennis racquets? What if there were “pairings” for tennis racquets and string? Would you take these “suggestions” into account when it is time to have your racquet strung?
Unlike a bottle of wine, that is good for a couple of hour’s maybe, you expect your string to last much longer. So, would you consider upgrading from a $20.00 bottle of wine to a $35.00 based on the “pairings” recommendation? Is that worth $7.50 per hour?
Likewise would you consider upgrading to a $45.00 string from your standard $25.00 string if it would be better for your game, and last much longer than a bottle of wine?
The point of this post is that there is a “pairing” concept for tennis racquets and players! In some cases these “pairings” are completely ignored by many players due to any number of influences. Influences such as advertising, player endorsements, partner pressure, stringer pressure, and to a lesser degree, cost.
Now, the next time you have your racquet strung ask your stringer for a “pairings” recommendation and see what happens. And, if your stringer pro-actively recommends a “pairing” ask why and be sure it suits your “taste”.
Keep in mind that keeping your racquet freshly strung will be just as much fun as a good wine…
And cost less!
Happy Friday!
How do YOU select a string?
At my last count there are over 350 different strings available from which to choose! Add to that number the racquet size, string pattern, and racquet stiffness!
How in the world can you choose from all these variables? Well, here is a clue.
Determine what is most important to you; cost or performance. If performance is your top priority then you select a good natural gut. Expect to pay over $65.00 for the top of the line and about $55.00 for other variations of natural gut. Babolat, for example, offers “VS” as the top end and “Tonic” as the value alternative.
If cost is your priority head for a nylon “synthetic gut” and expect to shell out at least $20.00. The term “synthetic gut” has little or no bearing on the quality of the string. These strings are primarily nylon, the most popular and important material for racquet string. Do not reject a string because it says “nylon” on the package!
Smack in the middle of the offerings is “multi-filament” string. This format consists of several strands of many materials designed to stretch and react to impact with a softer feel. This category offers a great alternative to natural gut and may offer performance advantages over “synthetic gut”, and, expect to pay around $35.00. Tecnifibre is one of many brands that offers several multi-filament strings.
This is a simple snapshot of the range but what if you want maximum “spin” without regards to anything else? The first reaction to this desire is to opt for the popular “polyester” based string and those that refer to themselves as “co-poly” strings. Polyester strings have been around for many years and have found a “home” within the professional ranks for the following reason: the string slips (displaced) easily and since they are slippery they want to return to where they started so this quick movement can contribute to the ball rotation we call “spin”.
But, when the ball is spinning it is not going as far given the same force from you! So, because most polyester strings are very stiff, you must swing harder to get the ball to go as far as you want and a harder swing will in fact contribute to “spin”. Many say “I can hit harder with polyester string”! Not only can they hit harder, they must hit harder!
Before selecting a very stiff polyester based string consider your options very carefully. A relatively new option is PEEK string. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) string is not new but the new monofilament products are recent. The advantage of this material is that it has very high elongation meaning it is softer on impact which translates to “arm friendly”, it is very slippery meaning it will displace and snap back similar to polyester based string. The premier manufacturer of PEEK string is a US company Ashaway Line & Twine Company in Ashaway, RI!
So, determine how much you want to pay for a given set of performance factors then contact a qualified racquet technician to discuss your options.
If you have any questions you can contact me or leave a comment on the site.
Natural Gut…why is it important?
Natural gut is just that, a natural intestinal fiber, usually from cattle, that is processed into probably the best tennis racquet string you can use. The primary reason is the “dynamic stiffness” of this marvelous material.
Dynamic stiffness is the way a string reacts to impact. Natural gut has about the lowest dynamic stiffness which means it continues to “stretch” as the ball makes contact. This “stretch” mitigates the shock associated with impact and creates a very comfortable ball impact.
If you have an arm issue, and can’t take a few months off the game, it is necessary to use natural gut for at least two (2) stringing cycles. If it is that good why not use it all the time, you may ask? One answer is that natural gut is expensive! You should expect to pay $65.00 or more for a quality natural gut string installed in your racquet. And, natural gut is sensitive to nicks and scrapes more so that some synthetic materials.
All things considered, natural gut will play better longer than almost any other string material. But, how do you quantify “better”? It is easy to quantify “time” because the string is either broken or has lost too much tension to be useful!
There are several manufacturers of natural gut strings. The most recognizable is Babolat who has been making natural gut strings for tennis racquets for over 135 years! Others are Pacific, Bow Brand, BDE, and, I am sure some others that I am not familiar with. I mention this because I am in the process of evaluating a natural gut string from a manufacturer in Poland. I do all the lab tests and stringing evaluations before I know the price of the product, so, I am not influenced by cost. I have evaluated many natural gut strings and most of them, other than the brands I a mentioned earlier, are not very good for any number of reasons.
The Polish product has several good characteristics. I have strung it in a Babolat Pure Drive GT racquet and will begin some hitting tests.
In summary, if you have an arm issue or simply want the best string for your racquet you need to try natural gut. Racquet Quest has several models from Babolat in stock at all times. Most players prefer natural color but Babolat does make a black version. Natural gut comes in three (3) gauges: 15L, thicker gauge, 16, “normal” gauge, and 17, the best gauge for maximum “feel”. I invite you to give natural gut a try the next time you need string.
You can discover more about strings at the membership site www.gssalliance.com
Racquet Quest, LLC
